Черный тюльпан
The Hatred of a Tulip-fancier
Boxtelallowedhisbulbstorotinthepits,hisseedlingstodryupintheircases,andhistulipstowitherinthebordersandhenceforwardoccupiedhimselfwithnothingelsebutthedoingsatVanBaerle’s.HebreathedthroughthestalksofVanBaerle’stulips,quenchedhisthirstwiththewaterhesprinkleduponthem,andfeastedonthefinesoftearthwhichhisneighbourscattereduponhischerishedbulbs.
Butthemostcuriouspartoftheoperationswasnotperformedinthegarden.
Itmightbeoneo’clockinthemorningwhenVanBaerlewentuptohislaboratory,intotheglazedcabinetwhitherBoxtel’stelescopehadsuchaneasyaccess;andhere,assoonasthelampilluminatedthewallsandwindows,Boxtelsawtheinventivegeniusofhisrivalatwork.
Hebeheldhimsiftinghisseeds,andsoakingtheminliquidswhichweredestinedtomodifyortodeepentheircolours.HeknewwhatCorneliusmeantwhenheatingcertaingrains,thenmoisteningthem,thencombiningthemwithothersbyasortofgrafting,—aminuteandmarvellouslydelicatemanipulation,—andwhenheshutupindarknessthosewhichwereexpectedtofurnishtheblackcolour,exposedtothesunortothelampthosewhichweretoproducered,andplacedbetweentheendlessreflectionsoftwowater-mirrorsthoseintendedforwhite,thepurerepresentationofthelimpidelement
